The Butterflies of the World Foundation

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Vanessa atalanta, Little Yellowstone Park, Barnes County, North Dakota, 12 July 2003

                                                                                              Ref #:  I-189-11.4

Red Admiral

Vanessa atalanta, Linnaeus, 1758

Subfamily Nymphalinae

Tribe Nymphalini

Taxonomy

The family Nymphalidae is the largest butterfly family and includes about 6,000 species which are further divided up into 12 subfamilies.  The common name for the family is the Brushfoots or Brushfooted Butterflies.  This strange name is because the first pair of legs are significantly reduced, sometimes to mere stubs, and look like little brushes.  Some of the most common and well known species are in this group such as the Monarch, Red Admiral, Blue Morpho and Painted Lady.  Some of the longest lived butterflies are in this family with some species living over 10 months as adults.  The Brushfoots are distributed worldwide, with the highest diversity found in the tropics.  With this variety, there is also quite a difference in behavior, adult food choices and habitat preference from species to species.

Vanessa atalanta, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, 16 May 2010                                                                                  Ref #:  I-437-12.2

Vanessa atalanta, one half mile south of Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, 25 April 2006                                                     Ref #:  I-344-5.4

Vanessa atalanta, larva on Smallspike False Nettle, Boehmeria cylindrica, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, 5 August 2010  Ref #:  I-451-15

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Vanessa atalanta, larva on Smallspike False Nettle, Boehmeria cylindrica, Lexington Wildlife Management Area, Cleveland County, Oklahoma, 5 August 2010  Ref #:  I-451-14

Vanessa atalanta, Camp McFadden, Kaw Lake, Kay County, Oklahoma, 8 October 2010

                                                                                               Ref #:  I-460-4.1

Vanessa atalanta, Camp McFadden, Kaw Lake, Kay County, Oklahoma, 8 October 2010

                                                                                               Ref #:  I-460-9.1

Vanessa atalanta, Camp McFadden, Kaw Lake, Kay County, Oklahoma, 8 October 2010

                                                                                                Ref #:  I-460-12

General Information:

Vanessa atalanta belongs to the subfamily Nymphalinae.  This species is another wide ranging one and is found from Guatemala north through Mexico and the United States to northern Canada.  It is also found in  Hawaii, some Caribbean Islands, New Zealand, Europe, Northern Africa and Asia.  It cannot survive cold weather and must migrate north to be found in areas with cold winters.  It can be found in many habitats, but prefers moist woods, yards, parks, marshes, seeps and moist fields. During migrations, the Red Admiral is found in almost any habitat from tundra to subtropics.

Lifecycle:

The larval food source includes many plants in the nettle family Urticaceae.  Males perch, on ridgetops if available, in the afternoon to wait for females, who lay eggs singly on the tops of host plant leaves.  Young caterpillars eat and live within a shelter of folded leaves and older caterpillars make a nest of leaves tied together with silk.  Adults hibernate.

Vanessa atalanta, Picnic Springs Campground, North Cave Hills, Custer National Forest, Harding County, South Dakota, 25 May 2002                                   Ref #:  I-101-20.3

Vanessa atalanta, Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge, Marshall County, Oklahoma, 28 April 2012                                                                                   Ref #:  I-504-2.2